Expansion bracelet having two parallel rows of connecting links



July 1, 1958 K. STIEGELEV 2,840,982

EXPANSION BRACELET HAVING TWO PARALLEL ROWS 0F CONNECTING LINKS FiledJuly 25, 1956 III 46 l6 2 is, 5 4b M 2 w m w m mm m w T a Fig. 5

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Fig/z IN V EN TORI 'h'e e [e Karl E 5 7mm li 2,840,982 Patented July I,1958 EXPANSION BRACELET HAVING TWO PARALLEL ROWS F CONNECTING LINKS KarlE. Stiegele, Huchenfeld, near Pforzheim, Germany, assignor to Rodi &Wienerberger Aktiengesellschaft, v Pforzheim, Baden, Germany ApplicationJuly 25, 1956, Serial No. 599,990 Claims priority, application GermanyAugust 17, 1 955 4 Claims. (Cl. 59-79) The present invention relates toexpansion bracelets.

More particularly, the present invention relates to an expansionbracelet of the type which may assume contracted and expanded positionsand which is normally maintained in its contracted condition.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an expansionbracelet which is composed of a minimum of parts each of which maybemass-produced at low cost and which may be easily assembled to form thecomplete expansion bracelet. i

It is another object of the present invention to provide an expansionbracelet to which individual links can easily be added or from whichexcess links may readily be removed so as to make it possible to obtainan expansion bracelet of any desired length. L

It is yet another object of the present invention to provide anexpansion bracelet which is of pleasing appearance. With the aboveobjects in view,.the present invention mainly consists in thatimprovement in an expansion bracelet which includes a series of tubularlinks, a; plurality of first and second connecting means interconnectingthe links, and spring means interconnecting the links and the connectingmeans. The links are arranged in a single row extending lengthwise tothe bracelet, with the axis of each link extending transversely to therow; The first and second connecting means are arranged in separaterows, respectively, which also extend lengthwise to the bracelet, theconnecting means being so arranged ,that each link is connected vto oneadjacent link by one of the first connecting means and to the otheradjacent link by one of the second connecting means with each of theconnecting means extending into the two links which it connectsthroughout at least of the length of such links. The spring meanspivotally secure each of the connecting means to the two links which it.interconnects, the links, the connecting means and the spring meansbeing so constructedand arranged that the bracelet is capable ofassuming contracted and expanded conditions and that the spring meansconstantly urge the bracelet into its contracted condition. Moreover,the arrangement of the parts is. preferably such that the bracelet inits expanded condition assumes a zig-zag configuration.

.The novel features which are considered as character'- istic for theinvention are set forth in particular in the appended claims. Theinvention itself, however, both as to its construction and its method ofoperation, to-

Fig. 4 is a side view of a link and spring assembly of a modifiedembodiment of the present invention;

Fig. 5 is a plan view of the spring incorporated in the assembly shownin Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side view of the spring shown in Fig. 5 as seen'in thedirection of the arrow 6;

Fig. 7 is an end view of the spring shown in Fig. 5

I as seen in the direction of the arrow 7;

Fig. 8 is a sectional plan view of another embodiment of the presentinvention;

Fig. 9 is a plan view of the spring incorporated in the embodiment shownin Fig. 8;

Fig. 10 is a plan view of another embodiment of a spring according tothe present invention;

Fig. 11 is a side view of. the spring shown in Fig. 10 as seen in thedirection of the arrrow 11; and

Fig. 12 is an end view of the spring shown in Fig. 10 as seen in thedirection of the arrow 12.

Referring now to the drawings and to Figs. l-3 thereof in particular,there is shown a portion of an expansion bracelet which includes aseries of tubular links 2. The same may have any desired cross-sectionalconfiguration, and in the instant embodiment the cross-section is shownas being elongated and substantially rectangular. Each link has a pairof opposite side walls 3, an upper wall 15 and a lower wall 16. Thelinks are in stacked relation with the side walls 3 which form thelonger sides of the substantially rectangular cross-sectionalconfiguration being transverse to the length of the bracelet and withthe axis of each link extending transversely to this length. Thus, the.links are aligned in a single row, and the upper walls 15 of the linkstogether form the outer face of the bracelet, indicated generally at150, whereas the lower walls 16 of the links together form the engagingface, indicated generally at 16a, which is contact with the wearer ofthe bracelet. The surfaces are bounded by, and in the illustratedembodiment lie in planes substantially parallel to a plane common to theaxes of the individual links.

The links are interconnected by a plurality of first and secondconnecting means 4a and 4b each of which is in the form of asubstantially U-shaped member having a base and a pair of legs 6. Themembers 4a and 4b are arranged in two separate rows, respectively, whichalso extend lengthwise of the bracelet and which are near the engagingand outer surfaces of the bracelet.

In the illustrated embodiment each individual connecting means includesa pair of U-shaped members which cooperate with'the same links. The legs6 of one of these members project into the two links which theparticular connecting means interconnects through one end of each ofsuch two links, whereas the legs of the other member project into thetwo links through the other end of each of these two links. The base ofeach member is exterior of the two links and extends lengthwise of thebracelet.

The legs 6 of the memebrs 4a and 4b cooperate with leaf springs 5 whichare arranged within the links 2 and extend throughout the length of thelatter and are transverse to the length of the bracelet. Each leafspring gether with additional objects and advantages thereof, will i bebest understood from the following description of specific embodimentswhen read in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:

' 'Fig. 1 is a sectional plan view of one embodiment of the presentinvention taken along line 1-1 of Fig. 2;

Fig.2 is a side elevationalview of the embodiment illustrated in Fig. 1,the bracelet shown in its contracted condition;

Fig. 3 is a side view of the same embodiment, the

bracelet being shown in its expanded condition;

is bent about a transverse spring axis so as to form an obtuse angle,the crest 5a engaging one side wall 3'and free arm portions 5]) actingon the legs 6 of the U-shaped members 4 to urge the same toward theopposite side 1 wall 3. The legs 6 are formed with transverse grooves 7within which are received transverse projections 11 with which thespring5 is formed at the free ends of its arms 5b. The grooves 7 andprojections 11 thus form complementary projecting and receiving portionswhich serve not only securely to fasten the members 4 to the links 2,but also to mount these elements for pivotal are flattened, and thusurge the'bracelet back into its contracted condition. This may beachieved by making the width w of the legs 6 measured perpendicularly tothe length of the bracelet greater than the height h of the legs betweenthe leaf spring and the last-mentioned side wall of the link 2 measuredperpendicularly to this width (Fig. 3).

In the above-described embodiment-a separate spring is provided forcooperation with opposite legs of the two U-shaped members 4 of the sameconnecting means.

The links 2 may therefore be formed with transverse partitions 14 whichextend substantially parallel to the plane common to the axis of theindividual links 2. Each partition divides the interior of therespective link into two chambers, each of which is occupied by a spring5 and the legs of the corresponding members 4. If desired, the partition14 may be integral with the remainder of the link 2 and divide theinterior thereof into two chambers of substantially the same size. p

In the three embodiments shown in Figs. 4 to 7, 8 and 9 and 10 to 12, asingle spring element is arranged within each of the links so'that linksincorporating one of the springs shown in these figures need not beprovided with any partition. The single spring {is substantially H-shaped and has a central web portion from which' four arms emanate. Theend portions of these arms cooperate, respectively, withthe legs of bothpairs of U-shaped members 4 which constitute the first and the secondconnecting means interconnecting to the adjacent links the particularlink within, which the H-shaped spring is located.

Thus, in the embodiment illustrated in Figs. 4 to 7, a spring 105 isarranged within a tubular link 102 having side walls 103, an upper wall115 and a lower wall 116. Thespring 105 is formed with elongated slots108 so as to form the central web portion 109 the sides of which arepressed out as shown at 110. The free ends of the arms are formed withoutwardly pressed projections 111 which are adapted to be receivedwithin corresponding grooves of the legs of the U-shaped members (notshown in Figs. 4-7). As is clearly shown in the figures, the spring isso formed that the arms on the same side of the slots 108 form an obtuseangle with each other and that the pressed-out portion 110 between thearms is pressed in a direction opposite to that in which the armsextend. Thus, the two portions 110 are pressed out in oppositedirections and are so dimensioned that the distance a is substantiallyequal to the distance between the side walls 103 of the link 102 intowhich the spring is to be inserted, thus enabling the spring 105 to besnugly received within the link. Also, the arms and projections 11 areso formed that when the spring is actually inserted into a link, thespring is placed under at least some initial stress and that when theleg of a U-shaped conencting member is then inserted between the springand the side wall of the link, the former is placed under still greaterstress. It will be understood, therefore, that while it is very easy toinsert a connecting member into a link containing a spring, or to removesuch connecting member from such link, the connecting member willnevertheless be firmly retained by the spring and will cause the latterto be placed under still greater stress when the bracelet is expanded.The bracelet will thus automatically be returned into its contractedcondition under the influence of the various springs.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 8 and 9, the spring 205 havingpressed-out portion 210 is formed with an additional cut-out 218 so thatthe four arms of the spring are connected to each other by relativelysmall web portions 217. Otherwise, the spring 205 which is arrangedwithin a tubular link 202 having side walls 203 and has projectingportions 211 received by transverse grooves 207 formed in the legs 207of U-shaped members 204 is identical to the embodiment illustrated inFigs. 4 to 7.

In the embodiment shown in Figs. 10 to 12 the two spring halves of thespring 305 are parallel to each other and are interconnected by acentral web 309 which is substantially perpendicular to both halves. Aportion of each spring half is substantially flat and forms a surface313 which is adapted to abut against the side wall of the link withinwhich the spring is placed, the projecting portions 311 formed at theends of the arms of the spring cooperating with suitable grooves formedin the legs of the U-shaped connecting members (not shown in Figs.10-12).

In any of the above embodiments, the springs may instead of being in theform of a leaf spring be fashioned as wire springs,'and the links andU-shaped connecting members may be made of any suitable material, as forexample, metal, metal alloys, synthetic material, plastics,

etc.

It will be understood thateach of the elements described above, or twoor more together, may also find a useful application inother types ofexpansion bracelet differing from the types described above.

While the invention has been illustrated and described as embodied in'anexpansion bracelet which is constantly urged toward and into itscontracted condition, it is not intended to be limited to the detailsshown, since various modifications and structural changes may be madewithout departing in any way from the spirit of the present invention.

Without further analysis, the foregoing will so fully reveal the gist ofthe present invention that others can by applying current knowledgereadily adapt it for various applications without omitting featuresthat, from the standpoint of prior art, fairly constitute essentialcharacteristics of the generic or specific aspects of this inventionand, therefore, such adaptations should and are intended to becomprehended within the meaning and range of equivalence of thefollowing claims.

What is claimed as new and desired to be secured by Letters Patent is:

1. In an expansion bracelet in combination, a series of tubular links ofsubstantially rectangular cross-section arranged in a single rowextending lengthwise to the bracelet, each of said tubular linksextending transversely to said row so that the bracelet has oppositeengaging and outer surfaces lying in substantially parallel planes, eachof said links having a pair of shorter opposite walls forming said outerand engaging surfaces, and a pair of longer opposite walls respectivelylocated opposite corresponding longer walls of adjacent links; aplurality of first connecting means and a plurality of second connectingmeans, each of said connecting means being constituted by a pair ofsubstantially U-shaped members having a base and a pair of legs, thelegs of the U-shaped members of each pair projecting into two adjacentlinks from opposite ends of said links, said legs being arranged in tworows extending lengthwise to the bracelet and located respectively nearsaid engaging and outer surfaces and entirely in opposite end portionsof said links, and the bases of said U-shaped members being locatedoutside of said links and extending in two rows lengthwise of thebracelet, the pairs of U-shaped members constituting said firstconnecting means being staggered lengthwise of the bracelet with respectto the pairs of U-shaped members constituting said second connectingmeans; and a pair of leaf springs resilient in longitudinal direction ofthe bracelet and located in each of said links and being re spectivelyassociated with said first and second connecting means, each spring ofeach pair of springs being engaged by a single pair of legs of a pairofsaid U-shaped 5 members and urging said tubular links into an abuttingposition in which said longer Walls of adjacent links abut each otherand in which the bracelet is contracted.

2. An expansion bracelet as set forth in claim 1 and including anelement located in each of said links for holding the springs of therespective pair of springs spaced from each other for cooperation withsaid first and second connecting means, respectively.

3. An expansion bracelet as set forth in claim 2 wherein said element isa partitioning wall in each of said links 10 2,689,450

6 located spaced equal distances from said outer and engaging surfaces.

4. An expansion bracelet :4: set forth in claim 2 Wherein said elementis a Web connecting said springs of each 5 pair of springs.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS MillerNov. 11, 1947 Stiegele Sept. 21, 1954

